The Line
The Line, also known as the Battle of the Line was a major battle during the Third Great War. The line was considered the most bloodiest battle of the Third Great war, with almost one hundred thousand and thirteen killed and many more injured. The battle was purely defensive for the Coalition, they had to hold out until reinforcements arrived to relieve them. The battle lasted for fourteen days. The Enclave encountered heavy and organized resistance from the Union and NCR lines. Backed up with proper artillery and gunship support the Enclave could not risk many frontal assaults. Instead they began for artillery bombardment, in return the Union did the same. But when the Enclave did attack the lines head on, they were bloody battles. The Coalition held out until reinforcements arrived, on the eve of the Enclave's final big push to break the lines they witnessed the might of the Coalition. 'June 16th' '2nd Battle of Fillydelpia ' The Battle of the Line begun with the 2nd Battle of Fillydelpia, the beginning of the campaign was to take back as much NCR territory as possible. Though this was not possible to recapture the SPP for it being deep within Enclave lines. The Coalition set it's goal, recaptured the much of the lost territory and hurt the Enclave with a loss of two more of their cloudships. With this victory, it raised the hopes of the defenders and reminded the population they weren't doomed. This helped increase productivity in the factories, and it helped rebuild the factories in Fillydelpia fast even through terrible weather conditions. 'Retreat of the Plover' The only surviving cloudship fled back to the front line, that was the only way it would get back home. Back home where it could lick it's wounds. Along the way the Coalition engaged the Plover many times. Many of the attacks had no effect on the ship. Though some did tear large chunks out of the outer hull. Though this was nothing compared to what it would face when it hit the front lines. as the Plover neared the front line it was engaged by two Union gunships and the many anti-air defences they had set up. The Plover took one hell of a beating. The Enclave troops saw that if they did nothing their comrades would die, so disobeying their commanders many troopers threw themselves into the line of fire to save the Plover from certain destruction. 'Initial bombardments' With the return of the Plover and all surviving Enclave forces the Enclave began their bombardment. The bombardment lasted for three hours before subsiding. With that the Union began their own bombardment of the Enclave. The exchange of artillery shells lasted for hours until the guns finally fell silent. '17th-20th of June' The 17th to the 20th of June was quiet, both sides did not bombard each other. The Enclave was preparing for a small assault to keep the pressure on the Coalition and stop them from organizing a counterattack. 'Operation Lopsided, 21st of June' 'Eastern Line' Operation Lopsided was an Encalve operation to disrupt any plans of a counter attack by the Coalition. The operation began in the early hours of the 21st, the assault began when two cloudships began to bombard the eastern line. The two cloudships engaged two wolf class gunships along with one eagle gunship. The gunships along with several anti-air batteries exchanged fire with the Enclave cloudships. Several Sky tanks and Vertibucks began attack runs on Coalition positions, Enclave troops landed and began trying to clear out the entrenched fortifications built up by the Coalition. The battle was short before the Enclave pulled back after not breaking the line within the allocated time. With Reinforcements arriving the Enclave pulled back. 'Western Line' On the western line, five gunships engaged two gunships, several Union Artillery Batteries and anti-aircraft guns. With Enclave troops closing in on their lines some artillery batteries were forced to fire danger close to troop positions. Like the attack on the Eastern line, the assault on the western line was a failure, though it did weaken fortifications in sections. These would not be repaired when the enclave initiated Operation Hope Breaker. 22nd-25 of June Over the three day period both sides rarely bombarded each other. The Enclave was preparing for a massive offensive while the Coalition was preparing for it. The Enclave started their assault by bombarding the southern line. The Enclave's initial bombardment lasted for half an hour before their guns fell slient. The Coalition followed up with their own massive bombardment. During this bombardment the raptor Icarus was damaged. All the other lines were hit to soften up fortifications. These bombardments also lasted for about twenty minutes before subsiding. These bombardments and counter-bombardments continued for the entire day before the guns went silent for the night. Operation Shield Breaker, 26th of June Operation Shield Breaker commenced on the 26th of June. At 8:30 PM, the Enclave launched a massive assault with sixteen Raptor Cloudships intent on breaking down Coalition defences for Operation Disarmament. The attack commenced when all sixteen Cloudships attacked the NCR territories from every side. Each attack was made up of four cloudships and numerous Sky tanks and Vertibucks. The Enclave launched numerous bunker busting missiles along with the usual long range plasma bombardment. Operation Shield breaker managed to achieve it's set goal of destroying several command centres and bunkers in three hours. Lines of trenches were hit and there were many Causalities on both sides. The Enclave lost one cloudship during the fighting on the eastern line near Hoofington when six Union gunships surrounded it and shot it down. Operation Shield Breaker was a massive success for the Enclave and it paved the way for Operation disarmament. Operation Disarmament, 27th of June Operation disarmament began on the afternoon of the 27th of June, the Enclave launched a smaller but more precise strike upon the Coalition. The target of these strikes were large anti-air guns that were capable of destroying a raptor, artillery batteries, supply depots, ammo dumps and airfields. The Enclave to cover the insertion of their elite teams began to attack the eastern and western lines with several raptors, one Thunderhead and with large numbers of sky-tanks and vertibucks. The Coalition was slightly more prepared for this and inflicted a large number of causalities on the Enclave attack force. When the Line was weakened enough the Enclave sent in their elite teams to destroy Coalition assets. Dozens of teams were released into the NCR terrortories, they waited behind enemy lines until nightfall. They then proceeded with their assigned operations. Over the next couple of hours, the Enclave infiltration teams began rigging explosives to their many targets. During this time three teams were compromised and had to pull out. Only seven died during their retreat. The other teams were successful with their objectives and retreated to a safe distance. Then the teams set off their explosives causing much Chaos and they slipped back into Enclave lines with no causalities. 28th-29 of June After Operation Disarmament, several generals and other officers were executed for incompetence. Over the next two days the Enclave increased their bombardment. With the destruction of several aircraft wings and supply depots, the Enclave had the upper hand. Morale was down, the constant bombardment and death of many of their comrades took a heavy toll on many of the soldiers on and off the frontline; with no contact with Azeroth or Laptev, it looked as if all hope was lost. Many thought this would be their final stand, over twenty six union soldiers committed suicide. The supposed death of Littlepip also had an adverse effect on the coalition too; if she was dead they lost a hero. But many in the Union believed she was still alive, due to there be no body produced by the Enclave. On the 29th, the bombardment went to an extreme; this signalled to the coalition that the Enclave was rearing up to attack. Operation Hope Breaker, 30th of June On the 30th it began, the Enclave launched a massive assault on the Coalition lines; Twenty nine Raptors and a Thunderhead began their approach over the Canterlot crater, the same site where the twenty years ago, enclave had levelled the city to stop the spread of a substance only known as the 'pink cloud'; Though during their desolation of the city, the enclave killed a large number of ghouls living under the city in a stable including the mother of Twilight Sparkle. The coalition immediately set out to engage the Enclave, The union sent three Aviation corps and Seventeen gunships to battle while the NCR sent all remaining aircraft to hold off the attack for as long as possible. With the majority of the aircraft damage due to sabotage, the Enclave had the upper hand, Shooting down over one hundred Union fighters and three gunships before the coalition was in firing range. Though when in range the Union had a very clear advantage over the Enclave's power armoured troops with their jets, though many of the jets were being torn up by the Raptor's point defence turrets. After an hour into the battle ten gunships and sixty five jets had been shot down when the 169th Union Helicopter assault squadron joined the battle, they helped turn the tide with side gunners targeting enclave troops and assault squads dropped off on the raptors to cause chaos. Though supported by an assault squadron, the Union was quickly being pushed back; the enclave had managed to shoot down three more gunships only leaving the S.U.A.S. Devine Light the only gunship. With all other options running out the commander of the divine light commanded the ship to broadside the Enclave's command ship, the N.E.S. Victorious; Though the wolf class gunship did minimal damage, the spurred the troops into fighting harder and to the death. As the survivors prepared their final attack runs, reinforcements finally arrived. Fresh and new aviation corps and attack squadrons from the Oriental League of Nations from the orbiting titans unleashed hundreds of new fighters and seventy new gunships. The S.U.S.S. Vol'jin trained it guns on to four of the Raptors and began to fire. With four raptors destroyed and the number of new fighters joining the fight the Enclave retreated. The battle had ended the coalition now had the reinforcements they needed. Aftermath With the arrival of reinforcements, the coalition was ready to crush the Enclave. Many in the Enclave command knew that their time was up and if they were captured they would be either tortured or worked to death along with many of the Enclave's troops. With their knowledge of what would happen if they surrendered, the Enclave began fighting like a cornered wolf; Knowing their enemy would show no mercy. During Operation Hope Breaker, the Enclave launched another attack on a small listening post on the edge of the Canterlot Crater, this Battle was known as the Battle of Listening post 6-B; Where the 2nd platoon of the 27th Tirisfal Motor rifles Division held the line against an enemy at regimental strength. During this time they were rescued by the Lightbringer herself. With the News the Lightbringer was alive the coalition proceeded to push into Enclave territory, ready to make the Enclave pay for their crimes. Category:Battles Category:Third Great War Category:Azerothian Union Category:Battles of the Third Great War